Method for applying coupons to carton blanks

ABSTRACT

A method for applying coupons to paperboard cartons by delivering the coupons one at a time from a supply station onto a moving drum surface, holding the coupons thereagainst with reduced pressures within the drum, interrupting the holding effect of the reduced pressure at a remote transfer station, blowing the coupons off the cylindrical surface at the transfer station, inducing movement of the coupon to the paperboard carton blank by differential pressures on opposite sides of the carton, and covering the coupon at a mounting station with oversized covering material.

United States Patent Alexander et al. 1 Apr. 2, 1974 [54] METHOD FOR APPLYING COUPONS TO 3,370,365 2/1968 Vosbikian 40/158 R X CARTON BLANKS 3,634,994 1/1972 Dunne 1 4 53/31 TII86 7/1971 Helm v 4 1 53/31 lnvemorsl J Alexander; Leonard Adams, 3,654,006 4 1972 Heller, Jr. et 31.. 156/108 Jl., both of Louisville, Ky. 3,697,369 10/1972 Amberg et al. 156/285 [73] Assignee: The Finn Industries, Inc., Chicago,

[1] Primary Examiner-Douglas J. Drummond Assistant Examiner-Thomas E. Bokan [22] Flled' 1972 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dominik, Knechtel, Godula App]. No.: 216,425

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 34,253, May 4, 1970, Pat. No.

[52] US. Cl 156/70, 53/31, 93/61 A, 156/299 [51] Int. Cl B32b 31/20, B32b 31/04 [58] Field of Search 156/299, 300, 383, 514, 156/568, 571, 70, 108, 285; 53/31; 93/61 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,408,908 11/1968 BekOWitZ 93/61 A 3,005,565 10/1961 Doane et al. 156/571 3,138,508 6/1964 Fairest 156/383 X & Demeur [57] ABSTRACT A method for applying coupons to paperboard cartons by delivering the coupons one at a time from a supply station onto a moving drum surface, holding the coupons thereagainst with reduced pressures within the drum, interrupting the holding effect of the reduced pressure at a remote transfer station, blowing the coupons off the cylindrical surface at the transfer station, inducing movement of the coupon to the paperboard carton blank by differential pressures on opposite sides of the carton, and covering the coupon at a mounting station with oversized covering material.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures QATENTEDAPR 2mm 8.801.394 sum 1 BF 5 FIG. 1

'PATENTEBAPR 2:974, 3.801.894 mm a u b FIG. 2

This application is a divisional application of U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 34,253 filed May 4, 1970 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,358.

This invention relates to a machine assembly as well as to a method for applying paper sheets to planar substrates, particularly for applying paper premium coupons to inside panel surfaces of paperboard cartons. The invention also relates to a carton blank which permits a captured premium coupon to be delivered thereto in an improved manner.

The use of premium coupons in merchandising various products has grown into widespread practice. Such coupons are generally redeemable for cash or cash discounts, merchandise, gifts or the like. Such premium coupons have been packed into folding cartons used as containers for widely distributed products such as toothpaste, shaving cream, deodorants, lotions, and the like. Since such coupons have value it is undesirable to have them inadvertantly separate from the carton to which they have been attached or in which they have been inserted. If such premium coupons'a're separated through accident or pilfered, the promotional and merchandising purpose is defeated. The problem of pilfering is sufficiently serious to warrant attempts in the art to secure said coupons against this threat. Such premium coupons are commonly mounted within the carton rather than being loosely or partly bonded to the exterior thereof. Even insertion within the carton does not prevent unauthorized removal, and attempts have therefore been made to more securely mount such coupons within the carton.

In general the premium coupons are sealed by covering the coupon with an oversized covering material, such as transparent plastic, or a printed paper overlay and bonding such material along its material along its periphery to the inside panel of the carton. The premium coupon is freely positioned and captured within the oversized covering material and a portion of the carton panel or panels to which said covering material is bonded. The premium coupon may be deposited against the inside surface of the carton blank, and the covering material may then be applied in a conventional Staude Window Machine. A method and apparatus for applying the premium coupon to the surface of the carton blank in an improved manner will accordingly be of value in the art. It will likewise be of value to provide a new carton blank which permits such premium coupon to be applied in an improved manner thereto.

it is therefore one important object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for moving coupons or paper sheets from a supply or storage source to means which can deliver the coupons one at a time to a transfer station where such coupons are transferred to a plaimportant feature of this object that the paper coupons are held on the moving cylindrical surface in an improved manner by utilizing differential pressures, and

are removed from such cylindrical surface at the transfer station by altering the pressure differential charac teristic.

Another important object of the present invention provides a method for transferring paper coupons, or the like, in an improved manner from a supply source so that said coupons are delivered one at a time to a moving cylindrical surface having vacuum ports to hold the coupons thereon, and transferring said coupons from the cylindrical surface at a transfer station by altering the pressure differential to said vacuum port. A further feature of importance is to provide pressure differential means with the paper carton, or the like, so that the coupons may be attracted to the paperboard carton at the transfer station.

So another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved paperboard carton having a communicating passageway so as to permit differential pressures to operate for the purpose of attracting the paper coupon at the transfer station following alteration of the differential pressures at the cylindrical surface. The communicating passageway will further allow visual observance of the premium coupon from the outside of the carton, therefore, providing a purpose for said communicating passageway in addition to providing a path for the differential pressures. Another feature of the improved carton provides that the transferred coupon is covered with an oversized material which captures the coupon therein.

In one important aspect of this invention, the premium coupons are applied by utilizing an apparatus in combination with a conventional windowing machine wherein covering materials such as flexible paper or plastics may be bonded along the peripheral edges to the carton wall. Premium coupons or other paper sheets are stacked at a supply station adjacent the moving cylindrical surface of a drum mounted on the Staude Window Machine assembly. The cylindrical surface has a plurality of apertures or vacuum ports which pass under the stack of paper coupons at the supply staion. The coupons are transferred one at a time to the cylindrical surface, in particular, they are moved to an area of the cylindrical surface where a vacuum port is located. Differential pressures are provided between the outside and the inside of the drum so that the paper coupon is attracted to the drum surface by a negative pressure within the drum. The negative pressure is continued so that the paper coupon is retained on the surface until the rotating cylindrical surface moves the coupon to a transfer station, generally about from the supply station.

The communicating vacuum port is interrupted at the transfer station so that the differential pressure is altered. This may be done by closing the vacuum port so that negative pressures within the drum no longer retain the paper coupon as before. In a practice of the invention, it is further provided that means within the drum additionally facilitate transfer of the coupon from the cylindrical surface. Such means may be a jet of air which is directed through the vacuum port and against the paper coupon to facilitate transfer thereof.

The removed paper coupon is transferred to the surface of a paperboard carton blank which is moved in a linear path below the transfer station. This is accomplished in an improved manner by providing pressure differentials on opposite sides of the carton blanks so that a negative pressure below the carton induces movement of the paper blank thereto. A communicating passageway in a panel of the carton blank provides the path for the differential pressures on opposite sides of the carton. A vacuum line is preferably provided with a plurality of aligned outlets upstream or in advance of the rotational direction of the drum, say, about IO20 from the vertical radius of the drum, or about l60-l70 when viewing the circular cross section of the vacuum drum.

Details of the invention may now be shown in the following disclosure which includes drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partly diagrammatic side elevational view of a windowing machine combined with the coupon transferring mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1, with parts removed;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly in section and partly diagrammatic, of an assembly and mechanism for transferring the paper coupons to a carton blank advancing along a conveyor;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view in section, with parts removed, of the coupon transferring drum showing means for inducing pressure differentials to retain the coupon on the drum surface and to remove the coupon therefrom;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a carton blank illustrating a premium coupon captured within a covering material bonded to one surface thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of a carton having a premium coupon captured within a covering material bonded to one surface of the blank.

The views of FIGS. 1 and 2 particularly illustrate a windowing or window patch machine of the type known as a Staude Window Machine. Parts will only be briefly described in relation to such machine because it is well known in the art, and the machine as such does not comprise the invention. Such invention includes a frame or support 8 having an entry end defined, in part, by a feed slide 10 and a feed wheel 12. Among the elements mounted on such frame are included an adhesive or glue drum 14 and a window patch drum 16 downstream or at the discharge end of the window machine. Intermediate the feed adhesive and window patch drums is the coupon transfer apparatus or mechanism shown generally as 20. Coupon transfer mechanism 20 delivers and transfers a coupon to the surface of the carton blank; and the window patch drum 16 covers the coupon with an oversized planar material such as paper or film, for example, acetate.

A prime mover or electric motor 22 turns endless chain 24 by means of sprocket gear 26. The chain 24 turns sprocket gear 28 which rotates main shaft 30. The shaft 30 is journaled to a gear box 32 which turns shaft 34 and adhesive drum affixed thereto. Also fixed with adhesive drum shaft 34 is sprocket gear 36 which meshes with intermediate idler gear 38. Idler gear 38 translates rotational motion to drum gear 40 fixed to shaft 42. Fixed to shaft 42 is drum 44 which has a continuous cylindrical surface 46. A pair of endless sprocket chains 48 form a linear conveyor path between the sides of the frame 8, and such conveyor moves below the illustrated drums. The endless chains are driven by sprockets which, however, are not shown. The chains 48 are moved in a linear path at a selected rate of speed so that a carton blank placed thereon may be brought into register with the various drums on the machine at selected time sequences.

Details of the coupon transfer mechanism or apparatus may be seen particularly in the views of FIGS. 3 and 4. The coupon transfer or vacuum drum 44 rotates bewteen an upper supply or storage station which delivers the paper coupon to the cylindrical drum surfaces, and a lower transfer station which receives the coupon from the cylindrical surfaces onto the paperboard carton blank moving therealong. The supply station includes a substantially rectangular hopper 53 connected to a rectangular storage housing or magazine 54 by a latch assembly 55. The magazine is shown mounted to the frame by a cross mounting bracket 56 supported at opposite ends by side standards 57.

The supply or stack of coupons 60 are introduced into the hopper 53, and such stack of coupons is positioned adjacent the cylindrical surface 46 of the coupon transfer drum 44. The stack of coupons 60 are slightly bent when fed into the magazine 54 so that the coupons assume a slightly concave configuration at their faces which adjoin the cylindrical surface 46 of the drum. The bottom of the magazine has a rectangular opening which is slightly undersized relative to the area of the coupons so that such concavely bent coupons are retained within the magazine until withdrawn by the drum 44.

The coupons are withdrawn one at a time from the open outlet of the magazine 54 by a frictional retard pad 62 which contacts the lowermost coupon in the stack as the cylindrical surface, with the retard pad affixed thereto, moves past the open discharge of the magazine. The frictional retard pads which may be formed from rubber, are mounted to the cylindrical surface of the drum in a trailing relationship to a vacuum port or aperture 64. The pressure within the drum is reduced so that the pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the drum holds a coupon, such as 66 against a vacuum port 64.

The negative pressure or vacuum within the drum is formed by means which include a stationary shaft 68 having a plurality of openings 70 communicating with passageway 72 within the shaft. The stationary shaft 68 is concentrically disposed within drum shaft assembly 42 which comprises sleeve pairs 74 and 76 fixed to one side of the drum and rotating about the stationary shaft 68 through bearing assembly 78. The sprocket gear 40 is shown fixed to outer sleeve 74 by set screw 80. The shaft assembly 42 on the opposite side of the drum has a sleeve 82 fixed to the drum, and rotatably engaged to stationary shaft 68 by means of bearing assemblies 84. The pressure within the drum 44 is reduced by creating a partial vacuum in passageway 72 through a pump shown diagrammatically as 86. The pump 86 communicates with passageway 72 by way of conduit 88.

The coupon, such as 66, is carried by the moving cylindrical surface about l60-l 70 from the point where the coupon was picked up at the discharge end of the magazine. The coupon is carried to a transfer station which is characterized by vacuum ports 64 moving to a point where communication with the reduced pressure within the drum is interrupted or closed. The vacuum port 64 is closed by a bottom shoe 90 of a stationary arm 92. The arm has an annular head 94 secured to the stationary shaft by key 96 and set screw 98. The shoe 90 at the bottom of the arm 92 includes spaced legs 100 which bearingly engage the interior surface of the drum 44, and define therebetween space 102 which is wider than the vacuum port to thereby effectively interrupt or close communication of the vacuum port with the reduced pressure within the drum.

The force holding the coupon to the cylindrical surface is substantially reduced when the shoe 90 interrupts the negative pressure communication. It is, however, desired that the coupon be positively transferred from the cylindrical surface to a paperboard carton moving beneath the drum. Such positive removal is provided by a jet of compressed air which is delivered from compressor 104 along a conduit such as copper tubing 106 which terminates in passageway 108 of arm 92. The outlet of the tubing 106 terminates just above space 102 so that the jet of air may be expelled through vacuum port 64 and against a coupon which covers such a port on the outside of the drum. As shown in the view of FIG. 3, the coupon is transferred about 20 upstream of the radial axis of the drum at 180. The point of transfer is, therefore, at about l60165 at the drum surface.

To additionally facilitate the transfer the paper coupon from the cylindrical surface 46 to the paperboard carton, a special carton blank is employed having an opening in a panel thereof. A pressure differential is created relative to the' opposite sides of the carton blank, and this differential is communicated through the carton blank opening. The pressure differential is illustrated as being a vacuum line 110 positioned between the upper branches of the endless conveyor chain 48. The vacuum line or tube 110 is joined to a vacuum pump (not shown) by connecting conduit 112. The vacuum line 110 is provided with a plurality of outbottom closure flaps are indicated at 122. One of the side panels has a communicating opening 124, through which a pressure differential may attract a coupon 126 against the side panel with said communicating opening. An oversized cover material 128 is bonded along its peripheral edges to a plurality of side panels. A coupon 126 is freely positioned but captured within the overlying cover material 128.

The carton blank of FIG. 6 has four substantially rectangular panels 130 and the side glue flap 132. Top closure flaps 134, and bottom closure flaps 136, both of various configurations are shown. An oversized cover material 138 is shown bonded along its peripheral edges to the inside surfaces of the side panels. A coupon 140 is captured within the bonded oversized material. One of the side panels has a communicating opening 142 under coupon 140 which covers portions of two adjoining side panels. This carton is additionally provided with a scored portion 144 which has the configuration of a hill. The communicating opening 142 is within the hill towards the rounded top thereof. The premium coupon 140 may be withdrawn from its location between the side panels and the oversized cover material by rupturing the score line of the hill configuration and pulling back the ruptured hill-shaped flap to expose the premium coupon to manual access. It will be appreciated that the premium coupons, or the like, may comprise a single sheet of paper without folds, or folded one or more times. It is only required that the folded or unfolded premium coupon be substantially flat so that it may be conveniently captured between the side panel of the paperboard carton and the oversized cover material.

In operation, a carton blank having a communicating passageway in one ofits side panels is delivered in a linear path along the conveyor in timed sequence so that it registers with the transfer station when a coupon held over a vacuum port by differential pressure is likewise moved to the transfer station. The vacuum line may be timed to be activated when the paperboard carton blank moves to the transfer station, or it may be continuously activated. The compressor 104 is timed to emit a jet of air at the time the coupon is delivered to the transfer station to facilitate transfer from the cylindrical surface of the drum onto the carton blank in further response to the pressure differential on opposite sides of the carton. The carton with the deposited coupon is the moved to a mounting station downstream where a drum applies the oversized material.

The spacings of the vacuum ports along the cylindrical surface of the drum are made in accordance with the diameter of the drum so that successive vacuum ports, with coupons retained thereover, are delivered in timed sequence to the transfer station in accordance with the rotational speed of the drum. While the illustrated embodiment shows three vacuum ports on the drum, each vacuum port having a retard pad in trailing relationship, it should be understood that the number may accordingly be varied depending on the size of the drum, its rotational speed, the rate of speed at which carton blanks are delivered along the linear path, and the like.

The claims of the invention are now presented.

What is claimed is:

l. A method for applying a sheet of paper with printed indicia to a portion of a planar substrate which has opposite sides and an aperture communicating the opposite sides, including the steps of delivering said paper sheet from a supply station to a cylindrical surface of a rotating drum, which surface has a plurality of apertures, and covering at least one of said apertures with said sheet of paper,

reducing the pressure within the drum so negative pressure is applied to the apertures and so that said paper is retained on said cylindrical surface where deposited,

moving said cylindrical surface and affixed paper sheet along a circumferential path to a transfer station remote from said supply station,

interrupting said negative pressure where said paper sheet covers at least one of said apertures, said pressure being interrupted at about the transfer station,

moving said substrate to said transfer station reducing the pressure on the side of the substrate, away from the cylindrical surface to induce transfer of said paper sheet from the cylindrical surface to the substrate so that said paper sheet covers the communicating aperture of said substrate, and

securing said paper sheet to the substrate at the place where said paper sheet is deposited.

2. A method which includes the steps of claim 1 above, wherein said paper sheet is a printed premium coupon, and said substrate is a paperboard carton blank, and which further includes closing said cylindrical surface aperture at about the transfer station to interrupt the effect of the reduced pressure on said paper coupon, and securing said coupon transferred to the paperboard carton by applying thereover an oversized covering material and bonding said covering material along its periphery to the paperboard carton.

3. A method which includes the steps of claim 2 above, and which further includes the step of facilitating the removal of the paper coupon from the cylindrical surface to the paperboard carbon by directing an air jet through the apertures of the moving cylindrical surface against the covering paper coupon at the transfer station.

4. A method which includes the steps of claim 3 above, in which a stack of paper coupons are aligned vertically relative to the cylindrical surface, and which further includes the steps of delivering a single coupon from the stack to cover an aperture on the cylindrical surface as it moves below the stack, transferring said paper coupon to said paperboard carton at the transfer station which is located substantially from said supply station, and moving said paperboard carton with the deposited paper coupon along a linear path remote from the transfer station wherein said oversized covering material is supplied to capture said paper coupon thereunder. 

1. A method for applying a sheet of paper with printed indicia to a portion of a planar substrate which has opposite sides and an aperture communicating the opposite sides, including the steps of delivering said paper sheet from a supply station to a cylindrical surface of a rotating drum, which surface has a plurality of apertures, and covering at least one of said apertures with said sheet of paper, reducing the pressure within the drum so negative pressure is applied to the apertures and so that said paper is retained on said cylindrical surface where deposited, moving said cylindrical surface and affixed paper sheet along a circumferential path to a transfer station remote from said supply station, interrupting said negative pressure where said paper sheet covers at least one of said apertures, said pressure being interrupted at about the transfer station, moving said substrate to said transfer station reducing the pressure on the side of the substrate, away from the cylindrical surface to induce transfer of said paper sheet from the cylindrical surface to the substrate so that said paper sheet covers the communicating aperture of said substrate, and securing said paper sheet to the substrate at the place where said paper sheet is deposited.
 2. A method which includes the steps of claim 1 above, wherein said paper sheet is a printed premium coupon, and said substrate is a paperboard carton blank, and which further includes closing said cylindrical surface aperture at about the transfer station to interrupt the effect of the reduced pressure on said paper coupon, and securing said coupon transferred to the paperboard carton by applying thereover an oversized covering material and bonding said covering material along its periphery to the paperboard carton.
 3. A method which includes the steps of claim 2 above, and which further includes the step of facilitating the removal of the paper coupon from the cylindrical surface to the paperboard carbon by directing an air jet through the apertures of the moving cylindrical surface against the covering paper coupon at the transfer station.
 4. A method which includes the steps of claim 3 above, in which a stack of paper coupons are aligned vertically relative to the cylindrical surface, and which further includes the steps of delivering a single coupon from the stack to cover an aperture on the cylindrical surface as it moves below the stack, transferring said paper coupon to said paperboard carton at the transfer station which is located substantially 180* from said supply station, and moving said paperboard carton with the deposited paper coupon along a linear path remote from the transfer station wherein said oversized covering material is supplied to capture said paper coupon thereunder. 